Vacuum cleaner



Aug. 4,1931. D. c. BAKER I 1,817,337

VACUUM CLEANER Filed 001;- 9, 1926 I N YEN TOR D exfer C. flaker Patented Aug. 4, 1931 provide means for preventing damage to" pnrreo STATES P'ATENT OFFICE DEXTER C. BAKER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO BAKER-HANSEN MANU- FACTURING (30., OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF'CALIFORNIA' VACUUM CLEANER Application filed October 9, 1926. Serial No. 140,483.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners, especially adapted for use in establishments provided with a supply of fluid, such as air, under pressure. Garages almost without exception have a compressed air supply available in most garages and to eliminate to a large extent the necessity of installing expensive vacuum systems, I have provided a a. simple and efficacious vacuum,- cleaner which is operated by compressed a1r.

It is an object of .my invention to producea vacuum sufficient for cleaning purposes 1 I e I by use of the compressed air-ordinarily available in a garage.

Another object o my invention isto pro.

vide a vacuum cleaner which is readily portable and does not require the installation of permanent vacuum pipes or expensive vacuum machinery. v

A further object of my invention is to the vacuum cleaner by the larger portions of miscellaneous debris found in vehicles.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner whose various parts are easily accessible.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that, form of the vacuum cleaner of my invention, which I havev selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification,

but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form since the invention,as

set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms. In'the drawings:

Fig.1 is a plan view of the vacuum cleanerof my invention with portions of the device in section, the plane of section being indicated by theline 1--'1 of'Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is, on the right half, a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and, on the left half, is a side elevation" of the vacuum cleaner, a portion of the trap being broken away.

The vacuum cleaner of my invention preferablycomprises the combination of means operated by a current of air at supratmospheric pressure for producing a vacuum, with means for utilizing the vacuum to remove dirt and debris from a selected place and with means for collecting the dirt and debris from the current of air which is carrying them.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a cylindrical metal container 6v of a convenient size is provided. The container is spanned adjacent the lower end by a bottom. wall 7 which is preferably corrugated and is spaced an appreciable distance from the bottom edge of the container. The upper end of the container 6 is partially closed by a top 8 securely fastened around a portion of'the upper periphery of the container and provided with a suitable carrying handle 9. One edge of the top 8 forms a chord across the container and is provided with a hinge 11 to which a cover 12 is fastened.

The mechanism for creating a vacuum is affixed to the cover so that it is easily accessible. The mechanism includes a body 13 preferably of metal, such as cast iron, formed with an induction passage 14 therein. The induction passage is conveniently induce a current of air to flow thru the passage 14-and thereby induce a vacuum,

an aperture 16 is provided in the passage for the purpose of admitting air under pressure. The aperture is formed by the inter 1 section of a cylindrical pressure passage 17 bored out of the metal of the body 13 with 1 the passage 14. The axis of the passage 17 preferably is coincident with the axls of one portion of the passage 14 and the paswithout affording any obstruction :sages intersect and merge smoothly and gradually the body 13, the passage 17 is enlarged and threaded to recelve a nipple 18 connected by flexible hose 19 to a source of air under pressure. The compressed air is such as is usually found in garages and generally has a pressure in the neighborhood of 100 pounds .per square inch. A valve, not shown, may be interposed between the nipple 18 and the source of air under pressure.

The compressed air escapin from the aperture 16 induces a current 0 air to flow through passage 14, and means are provided at one end of the passage for gathering dirt and debris with the vacuum caused by the air current, and for separating the larger particles from the infiowing air; and means are provided at the other end of the passage for collecting and retaining the dust and smaller particles of dbris from the inflowing air.

The inlet portion of the passage 14 communicates through a trap and a flexible hose, indicated by the broken line 20, with a renovator or vacuum attachment 21. The attachment ismoved about on the surface to be cleaned and the vacuum induces the dirt to flow toward the passage 14. Various attachments for different uses can be fitted to the end of the hose 20 to operate with the greatest advantage. The trap is for the purpose of separating comparatively large particles of matter from the inflowing air stream. It com rises a generally cylindrical shell 22 pre erably of cast metal, having a tapered outlet 23 fitting snugly within the induction passage 14. Opposite the outlet 23 is an inlet 24 formed integrally with the shell 22. A screen 26 of fine mesh is interposed in the shell between the inlet 24 and the outlet 23. The screen preferably does not extend completely across the shell but is nevertheless situated directly in the path of infiowing material. The bottom of the shell is machined to receive the threaded upper end of a collecting jar 27 usually of glass. The heavier particles of the inducted matter impinge upon the screen 26 and drop into the jar 27.

At the other end of passage 14, a cylindrical collar 29 is formed integrally. with the body 13 and projects through the cover 12. The axis of the collar 29 is disposed approximately at a right angle to the axis of the passage 14 and is beaded at its lower edge to form a support for a bag 31. The bag is preferably of woven material having a tine mesh and is secured to the collar by an elastic cord'passed thru the upper edge of the bag and overlying the bead. Air escaping from the bag into the container 6 flows through apertures 32 in the bottom wall 7 and then passes through apertures 33 in the 4 side of the container.

The pressure of the air flowing through vacuum produced at the attachment 21 and to control the flow through the passage 14. Since the passage 14 is smooth and unobstructed it offers no lodging place for dirt, but the reduction in velocity of the air current entering the collar 29 and the sharp bend it must make to enter the bag 31 tend to cause a separation of the dirt from the air. The final separation takes place in the bag, the air escaping through the fine meshes but the dust and dirt being retained.

In orderto remove the dust from the bag 31, the cover 12 is lifted and the bag 31 is pulled from the'bead on the collar 29. The bag is then inverted andshaken thereby discharging the collected dust, after which it is reattached to the collar. The large particles of inducted matter gathered in the jar 27 are removed by unscrewing the jar from the shell 23 and emptying it. If the trap is not required, it can be removed from the body 4 13 simply by withdrawing the outlet 22 from the end of the passage 14. The end of the flexible hose 20 can be inserted in the end of the passage 14 in place of the trap.

It will be appreciated that with my invention high pressure can readily be utilized to create sufficient vacuum for cleaning purposes. The described vacuum cleaner is relatively inexpensive and simple to make and can be operated with a minimum of attention. It is light in weight and is readily portable from place to place, being instantly ready for use wherever compressed air, is available.

I claim:

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a container, a cover hinged to said container, a body secured to said cover and including an air induction mechanism having an induction passage, a dust bag extending into said container and secured to said body at one end of said passage, and a trap for large particles of inducted matter secured to said body at the other end of said passage.

2. A vacuum cleaner comprising a container; air induction mechanism secured to said container: said mechanism including an unobstructed induction passage and a pressure passage, said pressure passage communicating with but not projecting into said induction passage, a dust bag extending into said container and secured to said mechanism at one end of said induction passage. and a trap for large particles of inducted matter secured to said mechanism at the other end of said induction passage.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

DEXTER C. BAKER. 

